Shane 'Shakey' Byrne celebrated his second victory of the MCE
Insurance British Superbike Championship season in the opening race
at Snetterton, edging out an advantage over Josh Brookes and Jason
O'Halloran to seal the win.

On the opening lap Leon Haslam fired himself to the front of the
field ahead of James Ellison, but the McAMS Yamaha was instantly on
the attack and claimed the lead with a move at Brundle. Pole sitter
Byrne had dropped to fourth at the start, but by the second lap he
had pushed his way into third place when he passed Dan Linfoot on
the brakes into Riches.

A lap later and Byrne was up to second, out dragging Haslam down
the Senna Straight to move ahead into Riches for the third time.
The defending champion then had Ellison in his sight and on the
fifth lap a mistake from the race leader gave Byrne the gap he
needed to snatch the position and move to the front of the
pack.

Byrne was being chased by Ellison but there was further
disappointment for the McAMS Yamaha rider when he suffered a
technical problem and was forced to retire from the race. Byrne had
the advantage but behind there was a battle of the Australians as
O'Halloran was fending off the challenge from Brookes.

Brookes forced the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha ahead on the seventh
lap and then held him off as he bid to close down Byrne, but at the
flag it wasn't enough but a strong return to the podium for the
2015 champion.

O'Halloran was soon under pressure from a closing Haslam over
the final laps but he managed to fend off the closing JG Speedfit
Kawasaki rider to return to the podium. Haslam celebrated his
return to racing action with a fourth place ahead of the second
Honda Racing Fireblade of Dan Linfoot.

Jake Dixon got the better of Peter Hickman in the closing stages
to secure sixth place as the pair edge closer to the Showdown six
in the standings with John Hopkins, Bradley Ray and Sylvain
Guintoli completing the top ten.